Uramichi Oniisan (original) (raw)

Uramichi Oniisan has the potential to give unique insight into the melancholy of adulthood, yet fails to do so due to a repetitive plot and static characters.

The interactions between Uramichi and his coworkers were initially interesting thanks to the slapstick humor and the relatability of their situations. It really is quite tiring to repeat the same routine over and over, going to the same job that you hate just wake up and go back the next day. Sometimes the bunny and bear actors had moments that amused me and there were wholesome moments with the children, but that alone was otherwise not enough to... balance the overwhelming sense of dread I while reading this manga; the fear of being bound to a boring life.

While I recognize that the author is intentionally writing with a pessimistic tone, my major problem with the story is that there is little variation in how each chapter progress: It starts off with everyone happy and smiling, then there are a few dark moments here and there, and then it ends without being particularly entertaining or insightful. However, this makes me question if this "fault" was made intentionally. Through the static characters and repetitive plot, is the author illustrating that life itself is similarily monotonous? Whether or not this is the case, that doesn't change how, for me, Uramichi Oniisan felt overly melancholic without hope for finding happiness.

Overall, while Uramichi Oniisan was entertaining at times, the narrative didn't leave a lasting impression due to excessive nihilism and repetition. While I would recommend reading it or watching the anime when it comes out later this year, it just didn't resonate well with me personally.

As a side note, this definitely has a lot of meme potential with its "r/animeirl" vibes.